Dizzy O'Brian

From Elevator to Elevated In previous blogs I proffered the opinion that music and art are something different for different people. This idea leaves a disquieting confusion so I organized it all into;   The Rising Scale of Music and Art On the ground level we have elevator music, muzak and all forms of music and art that are merely for decoration or a soothing background. Things not engaged in or paid attention to, just there to fill in the silence or empty spaces. Here we find felt paintings, and the art the nouveau riche put up on their living room walls. Next is music and art for entertainment. The Concise Oxford English Dictionary defines the word ‘entertain’ as follows; v. provide with amusement or enjoyment. Interestingly the origin of the word   ‘amuse’ is “from a-(expressing causal effect)+muser ‘stare stupidly’   Thank God there’s none of that going on anymore. Above this would be music and art that holds up a mirror to society. It gets people to wake u...